If empowering our team members requires a significant change in our approach, as compared to what they’re used to seeing from us, we’ll likely receive some curious looks and even some resistance - at least at first. We recently heard an example detailing exactly that as we kicked off...

Once we’ve been intentional about adjusting the pace we use to help each of our team members latch onto a purpose that drives them and yields engagement, we can shift our attention to the second piece of the pattern that Marston identified; is our team member more focused on the task at...

Verbalizing a specific purpose that each of our team members identify and connect with can play a critical role in earning that 57% increase in discretionary effort that I referred to throughout What’s KILLING Your Profitability? (It ALL Boils Down to Leadership!) and several times as...

As we work to verbalize a purpose each of our team members find fulfillment in and connect with, something they can rally around as a genuine purpose in their life, it won’t be as simple as throwing the proverbial mud against the wall and hoping something sticks. This will require us to be...

Please don’t mistake me referring to something as being simple for thinking that I’m saying it will be easy. Even when we’ve invested the time to listen to what our team members are telling us and we’ve paid close attention to what their behaviors are showing us,...

The things we learn by asking our team members the right questions, and actually investing the time to listen to their replies, and by intentionally observing their behaviors provide a tremendous framework for understanding what makes them tick - even with the occasional mismatch between what...

As a kid growing up, or even as an adult, how many times have you said this to someone (or heard it said); “Action speaks louder than words!”? Anytime I hear that in my head, it’s in the voice of Margaret from the original “Dennis the Menace” series or Judy Hensler...

OK, it’s time for complete transparency… How often have you asked someone how they’re doing and prayed their response was limited to just one word? So maybe you didn’t come to a complete stop and get done on one knee, but I’m guessing you’ve definitely had a...

I’ve made a few references already in making a case for just how important it is for every leader to have a clear purpose that energizes them. Without having that in place, the challenges we face as we lead our teams can become more weight than we’re willing to carry, and I’ve...

By now, you should have at least a foundation for Why You Do What You Do and a reasonable understanding of How Our Wiring Impacts How We Purpose Our Purpose… With those things in place, let’s build on that so we can be sure we’re always keeping our purpose top-of-mind!

I want...

If you’re a leader with this final primary behavioral style, I have no doubt whatsoever that you’ve developed complete clarity around how each task you perform ties to your purpose and why all the other junk you deal with through the process shouldn’t bog you down. But...

If we’re in a leadership role and have this third primary behavioral style, where we’re more Reserved and People-Oriented, we’re part of the largest group across the population as a whole. That said, I haven’t personally seen nearly as many folks who are wired this way...